Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-03-25
nee, towering like some hoary giant IN

- - SaaA 49, ~ IS
it, robe of ice. One Of its boughs caught
her gown, held her in mid air for one
awful moment, then, crisp with frost,
broke off sharply, crashing down with
her into a bank of snow. For a few
minutes, that seemed as many hours to
her. she lay with closed eyes, sick,
dizzy, blinded. Then. bruised and bleed
ing, she resumed her awful journey, reck-
less of pain or peril in her desperation,
needing only that each new fall brought
her nearer : the man she loved.
As she leaped from the last crag down
10 the snowy highway Darcy Breene's
lantern was Just shining around the last
turning of the trail. She caught it from
him and hurled it upwards, its telltale
light vanishing within an extinguisher OF
snow. Then, as, SPECIFICS with aston
ishment, he stoad irresolutely, she seized
his hand and dragged him hastily towards
the town.
"Th' night freight II be passin' yer in
five minutes she gasped, almost inco-
herently. 1T alters slows just thar, by
tn junction. Fur Gods sake. fur life's
sake, board it. It's yer only chance!'
The schoolmaster drew himself up de-
family. He was a slim, blonde fellow,
with girlish eyes and coloring, but he had
q manly spirit under his effeminate ex-
terror. He understood at once that her
jealous sutton had been working upon
SAILS fears with some threat of violence to
him. But If his heart beat more quickly
at the thought, it was not from coward
ice. He put his arm around the trem-
bling girl and drew her to him. With a
stified cry she broke away, urging him
forward with all her remaining strength.
A quarter Of a mile up the mountain she
had caught the CLEAN of a lantern.
bills a-goin' ter kill yer" she cried.
Hes got his shooter. Wot Kin We do
agln him:"
Darcy's ~pantonymic answer was elo-
quent. He flung off his coat and began
to turn up his sleeves.
For one moment SAILS heart despaired.
Then her woman's wit came to her and.
Darcy" she pleaded, I'VE amt
a-goin' ter back out now-ye amt
amt refusin' ter kum-wi' me?"
With her?
The man started and caught up his
coat hurriedly. Those last two words
opened a vista not unpleasing to him, in
his passionate, selfish youth. He went a
few steps forward and then hesitated.
The little inherent good in his nature as
serted itself in this last moment.
Sal" he said, edo you know what
you are asking? IL have not done well
by you, but / never meant ~you-quite
such wrong-as this"
A great sob welled up from the girls
heart and strangled her. She put her
hands to her throat. wildly. Keener than
the bitter blast, sorer byfar than thewounds
from the icy ledge was the stab of those
repentant words. He had never meant
TO marry her, never-not even when his
words were ~softest, his eyes and heart
most warm! And this was the nan fer
whom she had Just dared death-the
lover whom she would have saved at any
cost. The thought Of Bill-poor. rough,
loyal Bill; of his love, honorable, manly.
steadfast, which she had bartered-for
this! A sudden bitter resentment took
possession Of her-to vanish as she looked
up and met Darcy's soft blue eyes. Poor.
goddess, untaught Sal! What chance had
she that love would not prove too strong
for her?
Il love ye," she whispered. I'VE can't
V be free yer. Take me away.
.Darcy-don't leave me yer-ter Bill"
Leave her to Bill! All the passion. the
jealousy. the logged determination of
Darcy Breene's character, to carry
through at any cost whatever was most
opposed, was quickened by the words.
He put on his coat, and turned toward
the junction, his hesitation all but nomi-
nally at an end.
Ill have so little money!" he cried,
yieldingly.
'''Yer's mine; take it, take it! Ye kin
pay me back emmy time"
She forced the purse upon him, and
led him INCREASINGLY toward the frosty
tracks, glittering at the cross roads.
''But my room-my things-I cannot
leave sol" He stopped, ~resolutely, as a
sudden remembrance swept over him.
There is a picture, " he said, a flush of
honest shame mounting redly TO his brow
as he spoke: lit is under my pillow. 1
don't mind my other traps, but-I-must
-have-that!"
The whistle Of the engine sounded in
the distance.
Civ me tn key! I'll git il fur ye!''
the girl cried, ~recklessly. go on; I'll
foller; and mechanically he went for
ward, the binding snow yelling her from
his sight.
She shrank back against the white
rock and waited till the snort of the
coming engine could be distinguished
through the silence. Then she folded
her shawl about her, and sped towards
the tracks. In Darcy's footprints. He
looked at her inquiringly as she reached
him, painting, just as the long train
began TO slow, and the engine pulled
past them.
''I've got il. Git on-They're startin'!''
she cried, as the last car. an emigrant
coach, neared them.
He attempted to help her up. but she
pushed linn before her, and jumped after
him. The wheels began to quicken.
Darcy" she sobbed, kiss mel
There, on the icy platform, with the
wind sweeping around them, the snow
whirling in their faces, he opened his
arms and folded her in them, pressing a
hot kiss ON her passionate, death white
face.
The next moment he was flung back
ward into the lighted car; the door closed
upon him. When he had leaped TO his
feet and regained the platform, he was
alone. with the train racing along the